Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation

Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code D15, part of the Slav Defense family. It goes 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3. White opens with 1. d4 (the queen's pawn) and Black answers 1... d5. After 7 moves it is Black to move. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.

The moves

• 1. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
• 1... d5 – Black plays the pawn to d5
• 2. c4 – White plays the pawn to c4
• 2... c6 – Black plays the pawn to c6
• 3. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
• 3... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
• 4. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 4... dxc4, 4... e6, 4... a6.

About the Slav Defense

After 1.d4 d5 2.c4, Black defends d5 with 2...c6. Unlike the QGD, the light-squared bishop can come out to f5 or g4.

• Black often takes on c4 with ...dxc4 and later plays ...Bf5 and ...e6.
• White often stops ...b5 with a4 and wins the c4 pawn back.
• The pawn structure is very solid; Black later frees with ...c5 or ...e5.

chessGM has a full course for this line: open the Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation course lesson.

Related openings

• It extends: Slav Defense: Modern Line (1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3)
• Continues with: Slav Defense: Chebanenko Variation – adds 4... a6
• Continues with: Slav Defense: Schlechter Variation – adds 4... g6
• Continues with: Slav Defense: Süchting Variation – adds 4... Qb6
• Continues with: Slav Defense: Two Knights Attack – adds 4... dxc4
• Continues with: Semi-Slav Defense – adds 4... e6
• Related line: Slav Defense: Süchting Variation (1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Qb6)
• Related line: Slav Defense: Two Knights Attack (1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4)
• Related line: Slav Defense: Schlechter Variation (1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 g6)
• Related line: Slav Defense: Alapin Variation (1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4)
• Related line: Slav Defense: Geller Gambit (1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e4 b5 6. e5)
• Related line: Slav Defense: Smyslov Variation (1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Na6)

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